Welcome to Tobago

Considered by many as the true Caribbean, Tobago offers its guests a unique travel experience. Come and explore our island’s rich history, culture, and biodiversity. Find the perfect accommodations for your stay, from luxurious villas, to quaint bed and breakfast establishments, to guesthouses and full-service hotels, many of them with views to die for. Learn about the many festivals, as well as cultural and sporting events that take place throughout the year. Let us help you find that perfect restaurant, idyllic beach or historical attraction. See why dive enthusiasts, romantics, adventure seekers, bird-watchers and beach lovers all have Tobago on their to-do lists!

Information & Facts

Climate

Don’t assume you cannot go to the Caribbean in the rainy season. You can, and you may not see any rain at all. It’s still baking hot, and you’ll still get a tan. The island is greener and smells wonderful at this time of year and swimming in the sea during a hot rain shower is magical. It often rains just at night.

Sometimes you can see no rain for weeks in the rainy season and have rain in the dry season.

It is more expensive and busier in the dry season. In our experience the seasons are becoming blurred and you can get any kind of weather any time of year. No matter what – it’s always hot and we always come home nut brown.

Tobago dry season – January to June

Tobago wet season – July to December

Hurricane season in the Caribbean is June to November – but Tobago is historically too far south to be affected by hurricanes though it was grazed by one in 2004 and before that, it was affected by Hurricane Flora in 1963.

Top tip from our experience – go any time of year. Even if it rains, there’s still loads to do, you can still swim in the beautifully warm sea, there’s still rum and it will be nothing at all like a rainy afternoon at home. We love it.

Have you ever swam in the sea in the rain? The rain makes the sea goes dead calm and it’s a weird and wonderful experience to swim in the warm Tobago sea with the warm rain falling around you. Try it….put it on your bucket list and do it.

Getting Around

Getting around Tobago

Drive on the left

In Tobago, you drive on the left hand side of the road, as in the UK, and steering wheels are usually on the right of the car.

You need a full driver’s licence to hire a vehicle in Tobago.

You need to keep your car papers and licence on you when driving the car.

The speed limit is 30mph (50kmph)

There are only a handful of petrol stations on the island and they’re not open all day and evening, so top up whenever you can. Petrol/Gas is very cheap in Tobago as it is subsidized by the Government.

Expect to pay around TT$5.75 per litre.

Roads are generally in good condition.

Getting around the island

Getting around the island is relatively easy. You can hire a jeep or a car. Petrol is very, very cheap, but there are few petrol stations so don’t get caught out – refuel regularly.
You’ll need a valid, full driving licence. Drive on the left; there is a 30 mph (50 kph) speed limit throughout Tobago.

There are buses – you have to purchase a ticket in advance from local stores.

The best way of getting around if you don’t need a jeep for the day, is to pick up an ‘unofficial taxi’, or a maxi taxi.

Tobago has a regulated taxi service that charges about the same as you’d pay back at home, but there is a network of unofficial taxis that seem to operate under a ‘blind eye’ system and it’s a bit like thumbing a lift.

A short ‘hop’ will cost you no more than a couple of TT dollars and you’ll be entertained on the way as well.

This is a fabulous way of meeting and talking to the local people, who have the best information about where to go and what to do.
Official taxis can be spotted with a registration letter ‘H’. You can hire a car for reasonable rates.

Taxi from the airport

There are usually plenty of taxis on the rank for when you arrive in Tobago – but do check for prices. Here is a list (courtesy of Johnathan Swift) of taxi fares to locations in Tobago from the airport as a guide only. Prices are given in US dollars.Tobago taxi fares

Do I stop for passengers?

A car driving through a Tobago village, especially if you travel away from Crown Point, is an event for some Tobagonians. Some people may ask you for a lift – children walking home from school, or women who’ve walked miles to the nearest shop. Whether you stop for them or not is up to you. You could end up being invited home for tea, but whatever you decide to do, you should exercise caution. Having said that, we have made some fabulous friends and met some amazing people by giving them lifts in our car, and by being given lifts by others.

Watch out for animals on the roads: in rural areas, you may run into (literally) sheep or cows in the middle of the road. Chickens are everywhere, and rural areas are closer to the city centre than you may believe.

Money

Money

Tobago money and currency converter

Currency: Trinidad & Tobago Dollar (TT$)1 TT dollar = 100 cents
90p will buy you a beer or a roti lunch from a stand. A ‘hop’ in an unofficial taxi will cost you about 20p.

Trinidad and Tobago dollars are the local currency

Be aware of the government and service charge taxes that are added to most accommodation and/or restaurant bills. It can be as much as 21% and up the price of a family meal out.

Foreign currency can only be exchanged at authorised banks and some hotels. There are cash dispensers taking cash cards and credit cards in the capitol Scarborough, and at Crown Point airport.
It’s worth noting that the rate of exchange at the Tobago banks is usually far better than at your hotel or your bank or travel agent here in the UK.

Banking hours: 0900-1630 Monday to Thursday; 0900-1200 and 1500-1700 Friday. Some close for lunch.

MasterCard, Diners Club, American Express and Visa are accepted by selected banks, shops and most tourist facilities. Many traders charge 5% for the use of credit cards.

Banks charge a fee for exchanging travellers cheques. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

People often ask us what the best currency to take to Tobago is. The local TT dollar is the most widely used currency – one or two places may take US dollars – but shops and restaurants largely use the island’s local currency. We always change our English pounds in the Tobago banks when we get there – you usually get more for your money.

Currency restrictions: The import of local currency is unlimited, provided declared on arrival. The export of local currency is limited to TT$200. There is free import of foreign currency, subject to declaration. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on entry.

Passport Visa

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. UK passport holders do not require a visa.

Every person (including minors) seeking admission at a port of entry into Trinidad and Tobago must be in possession of a valid travel document/ passport.

A person who is not a citizen or a resident of Trinidad and Tobago must be in possession of a valid return ticket to his/her homeland or country of residence or a security deposit or bond as required by the Chief Immigration Officer.

A person who is not a citizen or a resident of Trinidad and Tobago must be in possession of sufficient funds for his/her upkeep during his/her stay in Trinidad and Tobago.

A person who is neither a citizen nor a resident of Trinidad and Tobago must provide a proper local address.

A person who is neither a citizen nor resident of Trinidad and Tobago and who is a citizen of a country that requires a visa for entry into Trinidad and Tobago must be in possession of such.

Every person seeking admission to Trinidad and Tobago on arrival must complete an Immigration E/D Card (Form 1).

Property Location Located in Scarborough (Diamond), Benn's Apartment Rentals is close to Gulf City Mall and Scarborough Botanical Garden. This apartment is within close proximity of The Kimme Museum Institute and Tobago Museum. Rooms Make yourself..

Property Location When you stay at Len & Leona Holiday Hideout in Black Rock, you'll be near the beach and convenient to Stonehaven Bay and Turtle Beach. This guesthouse is within close proximity of Fort Bennett and The Kimme Museum Institute...

Property Location With a stay at Lesville Tobago in Crown Point (Canaan), you'll be convenient to Buccoo beach and Canoe Bay. This apartment is within close proximity of Mount Irvine Bay and The Kimme Museum Institute. Rooms Make yourself at home..

Property Location With a stay at Sandy Point Village in Crown Point, you'll be near the beach and minutes from Fort Millford, and close to Store Bay. This hotel is within close proximity of Pigeon Point Beach and Canoe Bay. Rooms Make yourself at..

Small charming hotels just 1,5 km from the beach and 6 km from the centre of Crown Point. Toucan Inn is a very nice hotel surrounded by tropical garden and located 6 km from the centre of Crown Point and just 3 minutes drive from International Airport...

This impressive beachside hotel boasts a fabulous oceanfront location in Speyside, within 32 km from Scarborough, the capital town of Tobago. Overlooking the mesmerizing Batteaux Bay, this upscale resort is a perfect destination for all those who covet..

The complex lies in the impressive, picturesque Stonehaven Bay, which is just 8 km from the Crown Point international airport. The capital of Tobago, Scarborough, is around a 15-minute drive away. The hotel comprises a total of 104 rooms spread over 3..

Set amidst gardens of palms, bamboo, and bougainvillea, the suites of this hotel are located near the hills of Fort George. The beach and a number of pubs and restaurants can all be reached in a few minutes on foot. Shopping amenities are situated about..

This hotel is set amidst two acres in a sweeping, picturesque palm-fringed bay. Scarborough, the capital of Tobago, is a 15-minute drive away, and the Crown Point international airport is 8 km away.||The beach hotel is part of an all-inclusive complex..

Facilities The hotel features various services and facilities, including a restaurant, a bar and a laundry service, for a comfortable and relaxing stay. Wireless internet access is available to travellers in the public areas. Those arriving in their own..

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